--- title: "Dark Shadows" year: 2012 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/dark-shadows" fi1m_id: "dark-shadows" imdb_id: "tt1077368" tmdb_id: 62213 wikidata_id: "Q323318" fi1m_score: 50 critics_score: 46 critics_reviews: 26 published: "2026-10-02T22:36:27.539144+00:00" updated: "2026-10-02T22:36:37.332549+00:00" region: "SI" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Dark Shadows (2012) Directed by Tim Burton · 1h 53m · Comedy, Fantasy ## Identity Dark Shadows - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/dark-shadows - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** dark-shadows - **IMDb ID:** tt1077368 - **TMDB ID:** 62213 - **Wikidata ID:** Q323318 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1077368/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/62213, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q323318 **Fi1m score: 50** · Critics 46 from 26 reviews *In a sentence:* A vampire wakes in 1972, mistakes McDonald’s for the devil, and the film never has a better idea > Tim Burton’s vampire comedy has a handsome house, Eva Green at full tilt and one joke, which Johnny Depp tells well for an hour. Then the script runs dry and the subplots take over. See it for the set-dressing and Green; not for the story. ## Synopsis In 1760 the Collins family sails from Liverpool to Maine and builds the port of Collinsport and the mansion Collinwood. Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) grows up to spurn the servant Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green), a witch; she drives his beloved Josette DuPres (Bella Heathcote) to the cliffs, makes him a vampire and has him buried in chains. In 1972 a construction crew digs him up. He walks home to find the house rotting, the cannery failing and the family down to Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Michelle Pfeiffer), her daughter Carolyn (Chloë Grace Moretz), her brother Roger (Jonny Lee Miller), his son David (Gulliver McGrath), the resident psychiatrist Dr. Julia Hoffman (Helena Bonham Carter) and a new governess, Victoria Winters, who has Josette’s face. Barnabas wants the fortune back. Angelique, still young, owns the town. ## Review Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) is cursed in the eighteenth century, dug up in 1972, and spends the rest of *Dark Shadows* being baffled by it. That is the film’s one joke, and Tim Burton knows it. The source is Dan Curtis’s daytime soap, which ran on American television from 1966 to 1971 and is remembered with great affection by people who were small when it was on. Seth Grahame-Smith’s script, from a story he wrote with John August, treats the soap as a mood to be revisited rather than a plot to be followed, and over 113 minutes the difference shows. Depp is good, and good in a way he had stopped being for a while. He plays Barnabas straight: spine rigid, consonants clipped, a man who takes the golden arches on the road into town for a sign of the devil and the television for a box with small musicians trapped inside it. We laughed, out loud, at his first walk through Collinsport, because Depp never winks; the horror on his face when the Carpenters appear in the corner of the sitting room is real horror. The trouble is that the film has perhaps a dozen variations on this and no second idea, and by the time he is making the same face at a car, a road sign and a hairdryer we were counting them. Eva Green is the other reason to watch. Angelique, the witch who cursed him, has spent two centuries building a cannery empire in his absence, and Green plays her as a woman who has had a long time to rehearse being wronged and has decided to enjoy it. Colleen Atwood puts her in scarlet and in a white trouser suit, and Green walks in both as if daring the furniture to object. She and Depp get one long scene in her office that is the only stretch of the film with any appetite in it, and we will say no more about where it goes. The house is the third. Rick Heinrichs has built Collinwood as a mansion the sea got into, with waves carved into the woodwork and a great hall furred with dust and cobwebs. Bruno Delbonnel lights the interiors in candle amber and keeps the exteriors in a grey, wet Maine light, so that every face comes out the colour of milk. Danny Elfman supplies harpsichord and low strings and then stands aside for the records, which include Alice Cooper appearing as himself at a ball Barnabas throws and being taken by his host for a remarkably plain woman. It all looks expensive and it mostly looks right. What it does not have is a story, and the middle hour is where you notice. Michelle Pfeiffer’s Elizabeth gets to be stern and little else. Helena Bonham Carter’s Dr. Hoffman is drunk, funny, and given a strand that is picked up and put down like a book nobody finishes. Chloë Grace Moretz sulks on command and is then handed a late development we will not describe and the film barely does. Jonny Lee Miller, Jackie Earle Haley and Gulliver McGrath are each given a room and a costume and no reason to be in them, and Christopher Lee turns up for a single scene as a fisherman named Clarney. Victoria Winters (Bella Heathcote), who is meant to be the love story, vanishes for twenty minutes at a time. Chris Lebenzon cuts between these people as if dealing cards, and we were bored, and then cross about being bored, because the cards are good ones. The ending is a large effects set piece in which the house suffers, and it is the loudest and least interesting thing here. Burton has made gothic comedy with a spine before: *Sleepy Hollow* (1999) had a mystery to solve and solved it, and [*Ed Wood*](https://film.one/film/ed-wood) (1994) loved its trash with precision. Here the affection is for the wallpaper. Nothing in the second half is as alive as Barnabas shouting at a television set. Most critics split down the middle on this one, and so do we. See it for the house, for Green and for Depp’s first hour, which is funnier than anything he had done in some years. At home you can admire the great hall and take a break during the cannery business, which is roughly the proportion the film deserves. *Fi1m score 50, published 2 October 2026.* ## What the critics say No critic calls Dark Shadows a success, and the reviews split evenly between tolerant and hostile. Where there is agreement, it is on the people rather than the picture. Most critics find Johnny Depp funny as Barnabas, a vampire baffled by 1972, and several name Eva Green’s Angelique as the liveliest thing on screen. The production and costume design draw praise even from reviewers who dislike everything else, and /Film singles out Colleen Atwood’s costumes. The reservations cluster on tone and script. Critic after critic says the film cannot decide whether it is a gothic romance or a camp comedy, and that the screenplay leaves the supporting cast stranded. The spread is wide: Empire and the Los Angeles Times find it a diverting enough evening, while NME and The Wrap call it dull and hollow. Time Out goes further and reads it as proof that Burton has little range. ## Straight answers **Is Dark Shadows worth watching?** *Dark Shadows* is worth watching for Johnny Depp's first hour and for Eva Green, and we scored it 50. Depp plays a vampire baffled by 1972 and the joke is good until it is repeated; after that the subplots take over and the story never arrives. See it for the house and the two leads, not for the plot. **How long is Dark Shadows, and what is it rated?** *Dark Shadows* runs 1h 53m. It is a comedy and fantasy film. **Where can I watch Dark Shadows in Slovenia?** *Dark Shadows* is not on any streaming or rental service in Slovenia at the moment. It is available in 50 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How violent or frightening is Dark Shadows, and is it suitable for children?** *Dark Shadows* is a 12A vampire comedy with more silliness than fright, and it suits most children of secondary-school age. The horror is largely Barnabas being appalled by a television set, though the opening has a curse, a death on the cliffs and a burial in chains, and there is a loud, destructive set piece at the end. Small children may find the gothic trappings gloomy rather than scary. **How does Dark Shadows compare to The Addams Family?** *Dark Shadows* and [*The Addams Family*](https://film.one/film/the-addams-family) are both ghoulish households played straight, but the earlier film knows where its story is and this one does not. Both have thin plotting; Sonnenfeld's film covers it with a family's warmth, while Burton's covers it with wallpaper. Choose *The Addams Family* for the better evening and *Dark Shadows* for Eva Green and the great hall. **What should I watch after Dark Shadows?** After *Dark Shadows*, try [*The Addams Family*](https://film.one/film/the-addams-family) (1991, Fi1m 77): A ghoulish household played straight, and a script that knows where its story is. Then [*Only Lovers Left Alive*](https://film.one/film/only-lovers-left-alive) (2013, Fi1m 81): Jarmusch’s centuries-old lovers mope through Detroit; slow, funny and properly tired. ### Reviews we read (26) - **Empire**, Ian Freer (65/100, inferred): Freer finds the film entertaining but tonally uneven, and says it falls short of Burton at his best. He praises Depp’s charismatic, funny portrayal of Barnabas as a man out of time. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/dark-shadows-review/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Andy Klein (65/100, inferred): Klein finds the film a diverting, comedy-heavy take on the material, though it brings little new to vampire stories. He praises its cleverness, particularly the humor drawn from Barnabas’s confusion about modern life and 1970s culture. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/socal/glendale-news-press/entertainment/tn-gnp-0513-film-review-tim-burtons-dark-shadows-more-comedic-than-dark-story.html) - **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (64/100, inferred): The accessible page does not disclose the critic’s verdict. It likewise reveals no specific praise or complaint. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/dark-shadows/5041427.article) - **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (64/100, inferred): The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict cannot be verified. The URL identifies a review of Tim Burton’s 2012 film, but the review’s specific praise or complaint is unavailable. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/11/movies/johnny-depp-stars-in-tim-burtons-dark-shadows.html) - **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (2/3/3): The critic finds the film flawed but believes it has worthwhile pleasures. He singles out Johnny Depp’s comic performance and delivery for praise. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/dark-shadows) - **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (3/5): Jones presents the film as a mannered gothic romantic farce whose actors embrace its eccentricity. He praises Burton’s visual style but finds the attempt to balance comedy and melodrama wanting. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-l0im9r/dark-shadows/) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (60/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the film entertaining but uneven, saying it stops short of fully exploiting its darkly comic premise. He praises Depp’s controlled, humorous performance while faulting the humor for settling too often for easy jokes. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/dark-shadows-film-review-321675/) - **Total Film**, Matt Glasby (3/5): Glasby finds the film an enjoyable but uneven blend of genres that does not quite settle on what it is. He praises its gorgeous look, the performances—particularly Depp and Green—and its climactic monster-filled spectacle. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/dark-shadows-review/) - **RogerEbert.com**, Christy Lemire (2/4): Lemire finds the film visually elaborate but largely inert. She singles out its lack of comic energy as a key weakness. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/dark-shadows-2012) - **Slant Magazine**, Bill Weber (2/4): Weber finds the adaptation overstuffed and ultimately a bloated misfire. He praises Johnny Depp’s comic performance, while faulting the film’s musty romance and relentless nostalgia. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/dark-shadows/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (50/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the film reasonably entertaining but ultimately predictable, offering no surprises. He praises Helena Bonham Carter’s distinctive, comic performance as Dr Julia Hoffman. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/may/10/dark-shadows-review) - **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (2/5): Huddleston finds the film largely tedious and sees it as evidence that Burton has little range. The review’s description singles out its creepy, kooky, spooky atmosphere, though not as enough to overcome that verdict. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/dark-shadows) - **IndieWire**, Todd Gilchrist (D): The critic calls the film an awful, incoherent disappointment and faults it for lacking a compelling story. He praises its production and costume design, while criticizing its disorganization and underdeveloped characters. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-dark-shadows-is-another-lazy-incoherent-disappointment-from-tim-burton-110753/) - **The New Yorker** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an incoherent, overlong joke with shoddy construction. Eva Green’s lively performance and some haunting effects are singled out as bright spots, though they cannot redeem it. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/dark-shadows-2) - **Variety**, Justin Chang (30/100, inferred): Chang finds the film’s retro-camp approach neither funny nor eerie enough, leaving it an awkward, largely bloodless exercise. He praises Johnny Depp’s committed deadpan performance as the film’s most reliable element. [Read](https://variety.com/2012/film/reviews/dark-shadows-1117947517/) - **Vulture**, David Edelstein (25/100, inferred): Edelstein finds the film a weary, meandering camp travesty, criticizing its witless screenplay and the stale Burton-Depp partnership. He singles out Eva Green as the movie’s best element and praises its garish, Gothic look as a gorgeous eyesore. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2012/05/movie-review-dark-shadows-is-a-camp-travesty.html) - **Digital Spy**, Stella Papamichael (3/5): Papamichael finds the film enjoyable but uneven, and says it is not among Burton and Depp’s best work. She praises Depp’s lively performance, while criticizing the romantic triangle and underdeveloped subplots. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a380936/dark-shadows-review-johnny-depp-turns-vampire-for-tim-burton/) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (C-): Goldberg finds the film dull and incoherent, arguing that its gothic style and camp comedy never come together. He singles out Eva Green’s performance as Angelique as the film’s one effective element. [Read](https://collider.com/dark-shadows-review/) - **Paste**, Tyler Chase (4.2): Chase finds the film a disappointing, overstuffed misfire that falls short of Burton and Depp’s best work. He singles out the weak writing, which leaves the characters and their storylines without depth or payoff. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/dark-shadows) - **Den of Geek**, Michael Leader (2 out of 5): Leader gives the film a harsh verdict, calling it one of Burton’s worst. He singles out the stale jokes and muddled screenplay, while noting the cast’s strong performances and slick cinematography. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/dark-shadows-review/) - **Eye for Film**, Lee Griffiths (40/100, inferred): Griffiths finds the film entertaining but ultimately disappointing, lacking the momentum and emotional impact of Burton’s best work. He praises its striking visuals and Eva Green’s scene-stealing performance. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/dark-shadows-film-review-by-lee-griffiths) - **/Film**, Russ Fischer (4/10): Fischer finds the film visually opulent but emotionally arid, with an unfocused story and too many underused characters. He singles out Eva Green’s vivid performance and Colleen Atwood’s costumes as assets. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/521100/dark-shadows-review/) - **HeyUGuys**, Jon Lyus (2/5): Lyus finds the film a beautiful missed opportunity, entertaining in moments but ultimately a mess without heart or narrative coherence. He praises Depp’s comic delivery and the enchanting production design, while faulting the treatment of the supporting cast. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/dark-shadows-review/) - **The Playlist** (20/100, inferred): The review is strongly negative, describing the film as lazy and incoherent. It singles out the film’s incoherence as a key failing. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-dark-shadows-is-another-lazy-incoherent-disappointment-from-tim-burton-20120508/) - **NME**, Owen Nicholls (15/100, inferred): The critic finds the film hollow, dull and without a compelling narrative. Eva Green’s performance is singled out as its one shining light. [Read](https://www.nme.com/blogs/the-movies-blog/dark-shadows-film-review-770676) - **The Wrap** (15/100, inferred): The critic considers the film an expensive, leaden misfire that is neither funny nor frightening. They praise its lavish period art direction and note that Johnny Depp supplies some of the few laughs. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/dark-shadows-review-tim-burtons-tv-retread-lurks-unfunny-doldrums-39211/) ## Details - **Director:** Tim Burton - **Director:** Tim Burton - **Screenplay:** Seth Grahame-Smith - **Story:** John August, Seth Grahame-Smith - **Cinematography:** Bruno Delbonnel - **Editor:** Chris Lebenzon - **Music:** Danny Elfman - **Production design:** Rick Heinrichs - **Costume design:** Colleen Atwood - **Producer:** Johnny Depp, David Kennedy, Graham King - **Cast:** Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins; Michelle Pfeiffer as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard; Eva Green as Angelique Bouchard; Helena Bonham Carter as Dr. Julia Hoffman; Chloë Grace Moretz as Carolyn Stoddard; Bella Heathcote as Victoria Winters / Josette DuPres; Gulliver McGrath as David Collins; Jackie Earle Haley as Willie Loomis - **Runtime:** 1h 53m - **Release (Slovenia):** 10 May 2012 - **Genres:** Comedy, Fantasy - **Budget:** $150 million - **Box office:** $246 million ## Where to watch in Slovenia Not streaming, renting or buying in Slovenia at the last check. Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *What We Do in the Shadows* (2014): Vampires baffled by the modern world, done cheaply and with far better jokes. - *The Fearless Vampire Killers* (1967): Polanski’s snowbound gothic farce, the ball scene alone worth the evening. - *The Addams Family* (1991), Fi1m 77: A ghoulish household played straight, and a script that knows where its story is. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-addams-family.md) - *Only Lovers Left Alive* (2013), Fi1m 81: Jarmusch’s centuries-old lovers mope through Detroit; slow, funny and properly tired. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/only-lovers-left-alive.md) - *Sleepy Hollow* (1999): Burton and Depp in fog and candlelight, with a mystery that actually gets solved. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/dark-shadows